Rough Guide - Prague Directions

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ACCURATE RELIABLE INFORMATIVE

DIRECTIONS

PragueDI R E C T I O N S

WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Rob Humphreys

NEW YORK LONDON DELHIwww.roughguides.com

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ContentsIntroduction Ideas 4 11 Accommodation 131Booking accommodation ................ 133 Hotels and pensions .......................133 Hostels ...........................................139 Nrodn and Southern Nov Mesto ..........................................106 Vysehrad, Vinohrady and Zizkov ...... 115 Holesovice ......................................123 The big six .......................................12 Hotels ...............................................14 Green Prague ...................................16 Baroque Prague ................................18 Restaurants ......................................20 Cafs ................................................22 Museums and galleries.....................24 Churches ..........................................26 Literary Prague .................................28 Kids Prague .....................................30 Classical Prague ...............................32 Art Nouveau Prague ..........................34 Pubs .................................................36 Shops and markets...........................38 Communist Prague ...........................40 Views from on high...........................42 Nightlife ............................................44 Twentieth-century architecture ......... 46

C ONT ENT S

Essentials

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Arrival .............................................143 City transport ..................................143 Information .....................................146 Festivals and events .......................146 Directory.........................................148

Language Index Colour mapsPrague Central Prague Transport System Chapter Locator Map

151 159

Places

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Prague Castle ..................................51 Hradcany .........................................59 Mal Strana ......................................64 Star Mesto ......................................75 Josefov .............................................91 Wenceslas Square and northern Nov Mesto ...................................98

Useful stuff

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Introduction to

INT R ODU C T ION

PragueMost people come to Prague because theyve heard its a beautiful place, and theyre rarely disappointed. With some six hundred years of architecture virtually untouched by natural disaster or war, few other European capitals look as good. The city retains much of its medieval layout and its rich mantle of Baroque, Rococo and Art Nouveau buildings have successfully escaped the vanities and excesses of postwar redevelopment. Physically, Prague may have weathered the twentieth century very well but it suffered in other ways. The city that produced the music of Dvork and Smetana, the literature of Capek and Kafka and modernist architecture to rival Bauhaus, was forced to endure a brutal Nazi occupation. Then for forty years, during the Communist period, the city lay hidden behind the Iron Curtain, seldom visited by Westerners. All that changed in the 1990s and

When to visitPrague is now so popular that the streets around the main sights are jam-packed with tourists for much of the year. If you can, its best to avoid the peak months of July and August, when temperatures soar above 30C, and you have to fight your way across the Charles Bridge. The best times to visit, in terms of weather, are May and September. The winter months can be very chilly in Prague, but if you dont mind the cold, the city does look good in the snow. Christmas and New Year are perfect: there are Christmas markets right across town, and plenty of mulled wine and hot punch to keep you warm.

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5nowadays, Prague is one of the most popular European city break destinations, with a highly developed tourist industry and a large expat population who, if nothing else, help to boost the citys nightlife. The River Vltava winds its way through the heart of Prague, providing the city with its most enduring landmark, the Charles Bridge. Built during the citys medieval golden age, this stone bridge, with its parade of Baroque statuary, still forms the chief link between the old town and Pragues hilltop castle. The city is surprisingly compact, making it a great place to explore on foot, and despite the twisting matrix of streets, its easy enough to ndMal Strana, Charles Bridge and Star Mesto Cathedral door

INT RODU C T IO N

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INT R ODU C T ION

Malostransk nmest

your way around between the major landmarks. If you do use public transport, youll nd a picturesque tram network and a futuristic Soviet-built metro system that rivals most German cities. And, for the moment at least, its still a relatively cheap destination, with food and perhaps, most famously beer, costing way below the EU average.Prague Castle by night

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PragueAT A GLANCEINT RODU C T IO N

PRAGUE CASTLEThe citys left bank is dominated by Prague Castle or Hrad, which contains the citys cathedral, the

old royal palace and gardens, and a host of museums and galleries.

MAL STRANASqueezed between Prague Castle and the river is the picturesque district of Mal Strana, with its twisting cobbled streets, Baroque palaces and secret walled gardens.

Changing of the Guard, Prague Castle Staromestke, Nmest and Star Mesto

STAR MESTOThe medieval hub of the city, Star Mesto literally, the Old Town is probably the most visited part of the city, and has a huge number of pubs, bars and restaurants packed into its labyrinthine layout.

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8 NOV MESTONov Mesto, the citys commercial and business centre, is a large sprawling district that fans out from Wenceslas Square (Vclavsk nmest), focus of the political upheavals of the modern-day republic.

INT R ODU C T ION

VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOVThe fortress of Vysehrad was one of the earliest points of settlement in Prague, whereas Vinohrady & Zizkov are rather grand latenineteenth suburbs.

Nerudoava, Mal Strana

JOSEFOVEnclosed within the boundaries of Star Mesto is the former Jewish quarter, Josefov. The ghetto walls have long since gone and the whole area was remodelled at the end of the nineteenth century, but six synagogues, a medieval cemetery and a town hall survive as powerful reminders of a community that has existed here for over a millennium.National Theatre

HOLESOVICEAnother late nineteenth-century development, Holesovice is home

Old Jewish cemetery, Josefov

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Turn-of-the-century mansions, Vinohrady

INT RODU C T IO N

to Pragues impressive museum of modern art, the Veletrzn Palace, and Vystaviste, its old-fashioned trade fair grounds.

HRADCANYThe district immediately outside the castle gates is a wonderfully quiet quarter filled with old palaces housing government ministries and embassies.

WENCESLAS SQUAREMore of a wide boulevard than a square, it was here that Czechs gathered in their thousands during the 1989 Velvet Revolution.

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Vystaviste, Holesovice

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The big six

You can have a great time in Prague just wandering the streets, wondering at the architecture, but there are six big sights you should denitely make the effort

to see, no matter how short your visit. Few people miss Pragues medieval Charles Bridge and the picturesque Old Town Square, but its also worth exploring Prague Castle, home to the citys cathedral, old royal palace and gardens; Josefov, Pragues former Jewish ghetto; the Art Nouveau Obecn dum; and Wenceslas Square, where the 1989 Velvet Revolution took place.

Wenceslas SquareThe modern hub of Prague, this sloping boulevard was the scene of the 1989 Velvet Revolution.P.98 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Obecn dumCaf, bar, restaurant, exhibition space and concert hall, this Art Nouveau masterpiece is preserved exactly as built in 1911.P.101 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

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Old Town SquareThe citys showpiece square, lined with exquisite Baroque facades and overlooked by the town halls famous astronomical clock.P.80 MESTO STAR

Charles BridgeDecorated with extravagant ecclesiastical statues, this medieval stone bridge is the citys most enduring monument.P.75 STAR MESTO

Prague CastleTowering over the city, the castle is the ultimate picture-postcard image of Prague.P.51 PRAGUE CASTLE

JosefovThe former Jewish ghetto contains no fewer than six synagogues, a town hall and a remarkable medieval cemetery.P.91 JOSEFOV

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Hotels

The food and drink may be cheap, but Prague is no budget destination when it comes to hotels. However,

with so many ancient buildings to choose from, and more competition than ever among hoteliers, the city now has a good selection of places to stay, many of which have real character.

U cervenho lvaA classic Prague hotel with original seventeenth-century wooden ceilings and tasteful antique furnishings, including rugs over parquet ooring.P.136 MAL STRANA

Cerny slonA hotel offering simple rooms tucked away down an alleyway off the Old Town Square itself.P.137 STAR MESTO

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15Hotel ImperialPlain, cheap, hostel-style rooms set in an otherwise extremely ornate 1914 Art Nouveau masterpiece.P.139 NOV MESTO

Dum U velk botyFor attentive service and stylish antique dcor, head for this discreet bolthole in the backstreets of Mal Strana.P.136 MAL STRANA

U medvdkuIf youre looking for unpretentious, inexpensive and centrally located rooms, try one of Pragues most authentic pubs.P.137 MAL STRANA

Cloister InnA former nunnery hidden in the backstreets of Star Mesto.P.137 STAR MESTO

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Green Prague

Prague doesnt have a vast number of parks, but it does have a whole host of wonderful hidden Baroque gardens in Mal Strana, several of which are linked via terraces to the gardens around

Royal GardensCastle gardens famous for their disciplined crops of tulips.P.57 PRAGUE CASTLE

the castle. The largest green space in the centre is the Petrn hill, accessible via a funicular railway, and boasting great views over the city. Further aeld, Vysehrads fortress and the woods of Stromovka are good places to lose the crowds in summer.

PetrnThis wooded hill on Pragues left bank provides a spectacular viewpoint over the city.P.71 MAL STRANA

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StromovkaLarge leafy park laid out between Vystaviste and the chateau of Troja.P.128 HOLESOVICE

KampaThe chief park on the island of Kampa enjoys ne views across to Star Mesto.P.69 MAL STRANA

Mal Strana terraced gardensPretty little Baroque gardens laid out on the terraced slopes below the castle.P.68 MAL STRANA

VysehradThis old Habsburg military fortress is now a great escape from the busy city.P.115 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

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Baroque Prague

The full force of the CounterReformation was brought to bear on the Czechs, who took to Protestantism en masse in the Renaissance. The legacy of this ideological battle can be seen in the citys enormous wealth of Baroque

Cathedral of sv VtThe Tomb of St John of Nepomuk in the citys cathedral is the most spectacular reminder of the former power of the Jesuits.P.53 PRAGUE CASTLE

art and architecture: great Italianate domes dominate the skyline and melodramatic statuary peppers the streets most famously, the Charles Bridge.

Old Town SquareProbably the most impressive parade of Baroque facades and gables in all Prague.P.80 STAR MESTO

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19Strahov MonasteryStrahov boasts two monastic libraries with fantastically ornate bookshelves and colourful frescoes.P.61 HRADCANY

Charles Bridge statuesIts the (mostly) Baroque statues that make this medieval bridge so unforgettable.P.75 STAR MESTO

Loreto churchA sumptuous Baroque pilgrimage complex with frescoed cloisters, a Black Madonna, and a stunning array of reliquaries and monstrances.P.61 HRADCANY

KlementinumThe Jesuits former powerhouse still retains several Baroque masterpieces from the time.P.79 STAR MESTO

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Restaurants

Czech cuisine is not the worlds most revered, and the stuff that was produced by the countrys chefs under the Communists didnt further the cause. However, Pragues

restaurants have come a long way in fteen years. You can now sample cuisines from around the world, from Afghan to Vietnamese, though its still easier to eat in elegant surroundings than to eat truly memorable food.

MlynecTop-class food and a superb view over the Charles Bridge and the Castle.P.88 STAR MESTO

KogoPopular pasta and pizza place in Star Mesto.P.88 STAR MESTO

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Zahrada v opereGlobal cuisine beautifully presented at reasonable prices and served in the former stock exchange.P.105 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

PravdaFashionable clientele, excellent service and an eclectic oriental menu.P.89 STAR MESTO

View of Kampa ParkFish and seafood restaurant exquisitely located by the river.P.73 MAL STRANA

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Cafs

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Prague boasted a caf society to rival

Caf LouvreFirst-oor caf that roughly reproduces its illustrious 1902 predecessor.P.112 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

that of Vienna or Paris. A handful of these classic, ornate Habsburg-era haunts have survived, or been resurrected, and should denitely be sampled. In addition, Prague has a small number of teahouses (cajovny), a peculiarly Czech institution, with an equally long pedigree. These places range from smoke-free, zen-style havens to chill-out zones complete with hookahs. The tea-drinking is taken very seriously and theres usually a staggering array of leaves on offer.

Obecn dumCaf dcor doesnt come better than this Art Nouveau masterpiece.P.101 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

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Caf ImperialGreat L-shaped Habsburg-era caf decorated with spectacular ceramic tiling.P.104 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

MontmartreVaulted former haunt of the likes of Kafka, Werfel and Hasek.

Bakeshop DinerSpecialist bakery where you can pick up a tasty sandwich, perch on a stool and read the papers.P.73 STAR MESTO

P.87

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DahabThe most spacious and extravagant of the citys teahouses also serves tasty Middle Eastern snacks.P.87 STAR MESTO

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Museums and galleries

With so much glorious art and architecture on the streets of Prague, many visitors happily skip the citys museums and galleries in favour of the city itself. But it would be a shame not to sample what Pragues museums and galleries have to offer, from medieval art and internationally renowned Czech painters Krupka and Mucha, to the

UPMA treasure-trove of Czech applied art ranging from Meissen porcelain and Art Nouveau vases to avant-garde photography.P.95 JOSEFOV

Czech Cubist movement and the Veletrzn Palace, with its comprehensive overview of Czech and European art of the last two centuries.

Museum of CubismCzech artists, sculptors and architects were at the forefront of the Cubist movement.P.84 STAR MESTO

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25Mucha MuseumDedicated to Alfons Mucha, the Czech artist best known for his Parisian posters.P.102 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Museum KampaPrivate collection housed in a converted watermill and stuffed with works by Frantisek Kupka, among others.P.70 MAL STRANA

Veletrzn PalaceThe citys premier modern art museum is housed in the functionalist Trade Fair Palace.P.123 HOLESOVICE

Convent of St AgnesGothic convent that provides the perfect setting for the national collection of medieval art.P.83 STAR MESTO

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Churches

The two golden ages of church building in Prague were the late medieval and Baroque periods. The citys Gothic cathedral was

begun in the reign of Charles IV in the fourteenth century, as was the Tyn church, but like many of Pragues churches, both now have plenty of Baroque furnishings. To sample the high point of Prague Baroque, head for the Church of sv Mikuls, built from scratch in the eighteenth century.

Church of sv MikulsThe citys nest Baroque church, whose dome and tower dominate the skyline of Mal Strana.P.66 MAL STRANA

Cathedral of sv VtPragues cathedral stands in the middle of the castle and took centuries to complete.P.51 PRAGUE CASTLE

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27Church of sv JakubColourful frescoes plastered over Gothic vaulting and the mother of all church organs.P.83 STAR MESTO

Tyn churchFairy-tale Gothic church whose twin towers rise up above the gables of Old Town Square.P.82 STAR MESTO

Panna Maria VteznHome of the Bambino di Praga, the pintsized wax efgy of Jesus that boasts a vast wardrobe.P.70 MAL STRANA

Church of sv IgncOrnate Jesuit church modelled on Il Ges, their headquarters in Rome.P.109 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

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Literary Prague

From Kafka and Rilke and the Good Soldier Svejk to Havel, the playwrightturned-president, Prague has a rich and unusual literary pedigree. The tourist industry may have ogged Kafka to death, and ruined Jaroslav

Haseks local, but there are still plenty of literary associations that have yet to be fully exploited.

U zlatho tygraBohemian writer Bohumil Hrabals local is still frequented by his old friends.P.89 STAR MESTO

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Old Royal Palace (Vladislav Hall)It was here that absurdist playwright Vclav Havel was sworn in as president.P.53 PRAGUE CASTLE

Old-New SynagogueThe Golem, a sort of Jewish Frankenstein, reputedly still lives above the Old-New Synagogue.P.92 JOSEFOV

Franz KafkaFew cities are as closely associated with one writer as Prague is with Franz Kafka, who was born and spent most of his life in the city.P.91 JOSEFOV

Caf SlaviaImmortalised in a poem by Nobel Prize winner Jaroslav Seifert, this caf is haunted by the ghosts of generations of Czech writers.P.108 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

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Kids Prague

Despite the lack of hands-on interactive attractions, most kids will love Prague, with its hilly cobbled streets and trams, especially in the summer when the place is positively

alive with street performers and buskers. Prague Castle rarely disappoints either, with colourfullyclad guards and lots of fairy-tale ramparts and towers. The other obvious attractions for children are the Petrn hill, with its funicular and mirror maze; the zoo; and the National Technical Museum with its trains, planes and automobiles.

Museum of MiniaturesMarvel at the smallest book in the world or the Lords Prayer written on a human hair.P.62 HRADCANY

PetrnThis wooded hill gives kids a chance to run around, has fabulous views and an antiquated mirror maze.P.71 MAL STRANA

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31Ice cream at Cremeria MilanoCheap Czech zmrzlina outlets stand aside, a real Italian gelateria has opened in Prague.P.97 JOSEFOV

ZooPrague zoo may be in need of some investment, but it wont disappoint the youngsters in your charge.P.129 HOLESOVICE

Changing of the GuardWith a lilting modern fanfare and toytown soldiers, Pragues Changing of the Guard is funky like no other.P.51 PRAGUE CASTLE

National Technical MuseumAmong the veteran cars and bikes, youll nd the odd interactive display, not to mention a reconstructed coal mine.P.125 HOLESOVICE

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Classical Prague

The Czechs have produced four topdrawer composers Dvork, Smetana, Jancek and Martinu and although none hail from Prague, the legacy of their music still dominates the cultural scene here. Dvork and Smetana both have

museums dedicated to them and are buried in the illustrious Vysehrad Cemetery. Prague is also rich in Mozart associations after the success of Figaro here, the young composer went on to premiere two of his operas in the citys main opera house.

Estates TheatreThe citys chief opera house has a glittering interior and many Mozart associations.P.84 STAR MESTO

Vysehrad CemeteryResting place of just about every Czech writer, artist and musician of renown.P.115 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

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33Dvork MuseumThe most famous Czech composer of all time is commemorated in this delightful Baroque villa.P.111 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

RudolnumOne-time seat of the Czechoslovak Parliament, now home to the Czech Philharmonic.P.95 JOSEFOV

Obecn dumThis Art Nouveau concert hall is the main venue for the Prague Spring Festival.P.101 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Prague State OperaThe 1888 former New German Theatre is now Pragues number two opera house.P.105 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

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Art Nouveau Prague

The emergence of Art Nouveau in Paris, with its curvaceous sculptural decoration and oral motifs, had an enormous impact on Pragues architects in the 1890s. Later, a more restrained, rectilinear style that pregured early modernism, arrived via the Secession

movement (secesn) in Vienna. And thanks to the lack of war damage and postwar redevelopment, virtually all of Pragues Art Nouveau treasures have remained intact.

Obecn dumBuilt in 1911 with the help of the leading Czech artists of the day, this is the citys nest Art Nouveau edice.P.101 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Jan Hus MonumentThis gargantuan Art Nouveau monument forms the centrepiece of Old Town Square.P.80 STAR MESTO

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Grand Hotel EvropaA bit worn at the edges, the Evropas caf nevertheless retains its original 1905 dcor.P.104 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Praha hlavn ndrazFight your way through the subterranean modern station and youll nd Josef Fantas glorious 1909 station more or les intact.P.102 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

U NovkuThe facade of this former department store features bucolic mosaics by Jan Preisler.P.108 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

Mucha windowThe modern furnishings in Pragues cathedral include two stained-glass windows by Alfons Mucha.P.51 PRAGUE CASTLE

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Pubs

When it comes to beer consumption, Czechs top the world league table. This comes as little

surprise, since the pub (pivnice or hostinec) is the countrys primary social institution and beers like Budvar and Pilsner Urquell are considered among the nest in the world. The traditional pivnice is a simple place, with long tables and benches and waiters who bring a constant supply of mugs of frothing beer. Such places are becoming harder to nd in Prague, but enough remain for a decent pub crawl.

U kocouraOld-established Mal Strana pub serving Budvar.P.74 MAL STRANA

Pivovarsky dumBest of the citys new micro-breweries with a good range of traditional pub food.P.113 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

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37U cernho volaA truly authentic unpretentious pub serving Velkopopovicky kozel beer.P.63 HRADCANY

U medvdkuOne of the few central pubs to have changed little over the decades.P.89 STAR MESTO

Letensky zmecekGreat summer terrace overlooking the city and river from Letn.P.130 HOLESOVICE

U vystrelenyho okaArchetypal smoky, hard-drinking Zizkov pub with unpronounceable name.P.122 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

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Shops and markets

Despite the presence of the familiar multinational franchises, Prague still abounds in small, one-off independent shops, even in the centre. The citys second-hand, antique, bric-abrac or junk shops are always worth a browse: the terms to look out for are

MoserThe countrys leading crystal and glass manufacturer has its agship store on Na prkope.P.103 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

starozitnosti, antikvriat, bazar and, believe it or not, second-hand. The country is famous for its crystal and glassware, as well as garnet and amber jewellery. Other popular souvenir choices include traditional wooden toys and marionettes.

Christmas marketsCute arts and crafts stalls occupy the citys main squares in the run-up to Christmas each year.P.147 STAR MESTO

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BotanicusPragues own home-grown version of the Body Shop.P.86 STAR MESTO

CellariusBy far the best selection of Czech wines in the capital.P.103 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

KubistaBeautifully designed reproduction Czech Cubist pieces, primarily furniture and ceramics.P.86 STAR MESTO

ManufakturaChain store specialising in wooden and ceramic folk art with branches all across the city centre.P.87 STAR MESTO

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Communist Prague

Despite forty odd years of Communism, the regime left very few physical traces on the city. Understandably the Czechs themselves arent keen on harking back to those times, either. Yet if you know where to look, there are several understated

and one or two ironic memorials to the period. For example, the giant metronome on Letn, stands on the spot where the worlds largest statue of Stalin once stood. And if youre still not sated, theres even a Museum of Communism, full of memorabilia.

Kinsky PalaceThe 1948 Communist coup was declared on the palace balcony overlooking Old Town Square.P.81 STAR MESTO

LetnThe worlds largest statue of Stalin once kept guard over Prague from this spot.P.125 HOLESOVICE

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Jan Palach memorialIn 1969 on Wenceslas Square, Jan Palach set re to himself in protest against the Soviet invasion.P.89 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Museum of CommunismAn enterprising museum that gives a glimpse into the countrys Communist past.P.101 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Nrodn trdaIt was the confrontation between police and protesters on this street that sparked the 1989 Velvet Revolution.P.106 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

McovnaThe Communist restorers of this Renaissance ball-games court left a discreet ideological stamp on their work.P.58 PRAGUE CASTLE

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Views from on high

With its hilltop castle, its skyline of dreaming spires and domes, its winding river and centuries of architecture untouched by disasters natural or unnatural, Prague is central Europes most photogenic city. Climb up to the castle or walk across the Charles Bridge, and youll

LetnThe best place for a view of the River Vltava and its many bridges.P.125 HOLESOVICE

Cathedral of sv VtThe cathedrals south tower gives you a great view over the castle and beyond to the rest of Prague.P.51 PRAGUE CASTLE

be blessed with wonderful views. For the ultimate rooftop or hilltop vantage points, however, you need to head for one of these strategic locations.

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PetrnThe best view from Petrn hill is from Pragues own miniature version of the Eiffel Tower.P.71 MAL STRANA

Star Mesto Town Hall Astronomical Tower, KlementinumAn unusual view over the rooftops of Star Mesto.P.79 STAR MESTO

Birds-eye view of Pragues showpiece square and the crowds watching the astronomical clock.P.81 STAR MESTO

Zizkov TowerPragues futuristic TV tower is the citys tallest structure and the ultimate viewpoint.P.119 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

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Nightlife

Many of Pragues pubs, bars and music venues stay open very late, so after midnight youre not necessarily

committed to a full-on club. If you do go clubbing, youll nd a fairly modest choice of places, split between techno and top twenty. If youre lucky, youll be able to simply walk home; otherwise, youll nd night trams run every thirty to forty minutes in every direction from Lazarsk.

Radost FXLong-established basement club, with a veggie caf upstairs.P.121 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

Divadlo ArchaThe most adventurous theatre in Prague, with everything from straight theatre to dance and live music.P.105 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

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RoxyCity-centre dance club with its nger in all sorts of avant-garde pies.P.90 STAR MESTO

AghaRTA Jazz CentrumPragues best venue for jazz and blues is situated just off Wenceslas Square.P.114 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

Karlovy LzneA young multinational crowd head for this big riverside dance club laid out on four levels.P.90 STAR MESTO

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Twentieth-century architecture

Prague is renowned for its beautifully preserved Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. However, the citys twentieth-century architecture is less well known, but equally remarkable. The Czechs were the only ones to apply Cubism to buildings and later created a putative nationalist style Rondo-Cubism. Their embrace of Functionalism in the interwar years drew praise from Le Corbusier himself, and today

Cubist villasThe most successful application of architectural Cubism in Prague.P.118 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY & ZIZKOV

Bata storeAll prewar Bata stores were designed along functionalist lines.P.103 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

this legacy remains an important inuence on the citys contemporary architecture.

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47Dancing HousePragues most distinctive building from the 1990s.P.110 NRODN AND SOUTHERN NOV MESTO

Cubist lamppostDelightfully whimsical lamppost and seat hidden away in Jungmannovo nmest.P.106 HRADCANY

Banka legiThe citys nest Rondo-Cubist building contains a great frieze featuring the Czechoslovak Legion.P.102 WENCESLAS SQUARE AND NORTHERN NOV MESTO

Plecnks churchA postmodern masterpiece by Slovene architect, Josip Plecnk.P.119 VYSEHRAD, VINOHRADY AND ZIZKOV

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Prague CastlePragues skyline is dominated by the vast hilltop complex of Prague Castle (Prazskyhrad), which looks out over the city centre from the west bank of the River Vltava. Theres been a royal seat here for over a millennium, and it continues to serve as headquarters of the Czech president, but the castle is also home to several of Pragues chief tourist attractions: the Gothic Cathedral of sv Vt, the late medieval Old Royal Palace, the diminutive and picturesque Golden Lane, and numerous museums and galleries. The best thing about the place, though, is that the public are free to roam around the atmospheric courtyards and take in the views from ramparts from early in the morning until late at night.

P L A C ES Prague Castle

Cathedral of sv VtDaily: AprilOct 9am5pm; NovMarch 9am4 pm. Begun by Emperor

Charles IV (134678), the cathedral has a long and chequered history that meant it

wasnt nally completed until 1929. Once inside, its difcult not to be impressed by the sheer height of the nave, and struck by the modern xtures and ttings, especially the stained-

Visiting the castleYoure free to wander round the precincts of the castle (daily: AprilOct 5ammidnight; NovMarch 6am11pm; T 224 373 368, w www.hrad.cz). There are two main types of multi-entry ticket available for the sights within the castle: Route A (300Kc), which gives you entry to most of the sights within the castle apart from the art galleries: the choir, crypt and tower of the cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of sv Jir, the Powder Tower and the Golden Lane; and Route B (220Kc), which only covers the cathedral, the Old Royal Palace and the Golden Lane. Castle tickets are available from the ticket ofce and information centre in the Chapel of sv Krz, and elsewhere in the castle. The art collections of the Convent of Jir and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery, the Toy Museum, the Lobkowicz Palace, and the exhibitions held in the Imperial Stables and Riding School, all have separate admission charges. Most people approach the castle from Malostransk metro station, by taking the steep shortcut up the Star zmeck schody, which brings you into the castle from the back. A better approach is up the more stately Zmeck schody, where you can stop and admire the view, before entering the castle via the main gates. From April to October, you might also consider coming up through Mal Stranas wonderful terraced gardens, which are connected to the castle gardens (see p.68). The alternative to all this climbing is to take tram #22 from Malostransk metro, which tackles a couple of hairpin bends before it deposits you at the Prazsky hrad stop outside the Royal Gardens to the north of the castle. The hourly Changing of the Guard is a fairly subdued affair, but every day at noon theres a much more elaborate parade, accompanied by a modern fanfare.

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Prague Castle P L A C ES

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B AT T L I N G T I TA N S O N T H E C A S T L E G AT E S

glass windows, among them Alfons Muchas superb Cyril and Methodius window, in the third chapel in the north wall, and Frantisek Bleks wooden altar, in the north aisle. Of the cathedrals numerous side chapels, the grand Chapel of sv Vclav (better known as Wenceslas, of Good King fame), by the south door, is easily the main attraction. The countrys patron saint was killed by his pagan brother, Boleslav the Cruel, who later repented, converted, and apparently transferred his brothers remains to this very spot. The chapels gilded walls are inlaid with over a thousand semiprecious stones, set around ethereal fourteenthcentury frescoes of the Passion; meanwhile the tragedy of Wenceslas unfolds above the cornice in sixteenth-century paintings. The highlight of the chancel is the Tomb of St John of Nepomuk, a work of Baroque excess, sculpted in solid silver with free-ying angels holding up the heavy drapery of the baldachin. On the lid of the tomb, back-to-back with John

himself, a cherub points to the martyrs severed tongue. Before you leave the chancel, check out the Habsburgs sixteenthcentury marble Imperial Mausoleum, in the centre of the choir, surrounded by a ne Renaissance grille. Below lies the claustrophobic Royal Crypt, resting place of emperors Charles IV and Rudolf II, plus various other Czech kings and queens. In the summer months (AprilOct), you can climb the cathedrals Great Tower from the south aisle. Once outside, dont forget to clock the Golden Gate, above the south door, decorated with a remarkable fourteenth-century mosaic of the Last Judgement.

Old Royal Palace (Stary krlovsky palc)Daily: AprilOct 9am5pm; NovMarch 9am4pm. 140Kc. The Old Royal

Palace is a sandwich of royal apartments, built one on top of the other by successive princes and kings of Bohemia, but left largely unfurnished and unused for the last three hundred years. Immediately past the antechamber is the bare

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Prague Castle P L A C ES

CASTLE GUARDS

expanse of the Vladislav Hall, with its remarkable, sweeping rib-vaulting which forms oral patterns on the ceiling, the petals reaching almost to the oor. It was here that the early Bohemian kings were elected, and since 1918 every president has been sworn into ofce in the hall. From a staircase in the southwest corner, you can climb up to the Bohemian Chancellery, scene of Pragues

second defenestration, when two Catholic governors appointed by Ferdinand I were thrown out of the window by a group of Protestant Bohemian noblemen in 1618. A quick canter down the Riders Staircase will take you to the Gothic and Romanesque palace chambers containing The Story of Prague Castle, a new exhibition on the development of the castle through the centuries.

Basilica of sv JirJirsk nmest. Daily: April Oct 9am5pm; NovMarch 9am4pm. 50Kc. Dont be

C AT H E D R A L D O O R S

fooled by the basilicas russet-red Baroque facade, which dominates the square; inside is Pragues most beautiful Romanesque building, meticulously scrubbed clean and restored to recreate something like the honey-coloured stone basilica that replaced the original tenth-century church in 1173. The double staircase to the chancel is a remarkably harmonious late Baroque addition and now

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55provides a perfect stage for chamber music concerts. The choir vault contains a rare early thirteenth-century painting of the New Jerusalem from Revelations while to the right of the chancel are sixteenthcentury frescoes of the burial chapel of sv Ludmila, Bohemias rst Christian martyr and grandmother of St Wenceslas. with sightseers. Originally built in the sixteenth century for the 24 members of Rudolf IIs castle guard, the lane allegedly takes its name from the goldsmiths who followed a century later. By the nineteenth century, the whole street had become a kind of palace slum, attracting artists and craftsmen, its two most famous inhabitants being Nobel Prize winning poet Jaroslav Seifert, and Franz Kafka, who came here in the evenings to write short stories during a creative period in the winter of 1916.

P L A C ES Prague Castle

Convent of sv Jir (Jirsky klster)Jirsk nmest Wwww.ngprague .cz. TuesSun 10am6pm. 50Kc.

Founded in 973, Bohemias earliest monastery was closed down in 1782, and now houses an art gallery. The collection is of limited interest to the nonspecialist, though its always blissfully peaceful and crowdfree compared with the rest of the castle. The art collection begins upstairs with a brief taste of the overtly sensual and erotic Mannerist paintings that prevailed during the reign of Rudolf II (15761612), while the rest of the gallery is given over to a vast collection of Czech Baroque art, by the likes of Bohemias Karel Skrta and Petr Brandl, and the great sculptors Matthias Bernhard Braun and Ferdinand Maximilian Brokof.

Powder Tower (Prasn vez)Vikrsk. Daily: AprilOct 9am5pm; NovMarch 9am4pm. Also

known as Mihulka after the lamprey (mihule), an eel-like sh supposedly bred here for royal consumption, the tower is actually more noteworthy as the place where Rudolf s team of alchemists were put to work trying to discover the secret of the philosophers stone. Despite its colourful history, the exhibition currently on display

Golden Lane (Zlat ulicka)Daily: AprilOct 9am5pm; NovMarch 9am4pm. 50Kc.

A seemingly blind alley of brightly coloured miniature cottages, Golden Lane is by far the most popular sight in the castle, and during the day, at least, the whole street is crammed

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56within the tower is rather dull, with just a pair of furry slippers and a hat belonging to Emperor Ferdinand I to get excited about. something to do, or have a specialist interest in toys, you could happily skip the whole enterprise.

Toy Museum (Muzeum hracek) Prague Castle P L A C ESJirsk 4. Daily 9.30am5.30pm. 50Kc. With brief captions and

Lobkowicz Palace (Lobkovicky palc)Jirsk 3 W www.nm.cz. TuesSun 9am5pm. 40Kc. The palace

unimaginative displays, this museum is a disappointing venture, which fails to live up to potential. The collection is certainly impressive in its range, containing everything from toy cars and motorbikes to robots and even Barbie dolls, but there are only a few buttons for younger kids to press, and unless youre really lost forST GEORGE SCULPTURE

houses a hotchpotch historical exhibition on several oors, though by no means all the objects on display deserve attention. Among the more interesting exhibits are copies of the Bohemian crown jewels and Petr Voks splendid funereal shield, constructed out of wood covered with cloth shot through with gold, which hangs on the wall. The museums prize possession is the sword of the famous Prague executioner, Jan Mydlr, who could lop a mans head off with just one chop, a skill he demonstrated on 24 of the 27 Protestant leaders who were executed on Staromestsk nmest in 1621; Mydlrs invoice covering labour and expenses is displayed beside the sword.

South Gardens (Jizn zahrady)AprilOct daily 10am 6pm. These gardens

enjoy wonderful vistas over the city and link up with the terraced gardens of Mal Strana (see p.68). Originally laid out in the sixteenth century, but thoroughly remodelled in

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the 1920s, with the addition of an observation terrace and colonnaded pavilion, below which is an earlier eighteenthcentury Hudebn paviln (Music Pavilion). Two sandstone obelisks further east record the arrival of the two Catholic councillors after their 1618 defenestration from the Royal Palace (see p.53).

Christ, a late work in which the artist makes very effective and dramatic use of light.

Imperial Stables (Csarsk konrna)TuesSun 10am6pm. The former Imperial Stables lie on the opposite side of the courtyard to the picture gallery and still boast their original, magnicent Renaissance vaulting dating from the reign of Rudolf II. They are now used to house the castles most prestigious temporary art exhibitions (admission fees vary).

Prague Castle Picture Gallery (Obrazrna prazskho hradu)Daily 10am6pm. 100Kc.

The remnants of the imperial collection, begun by Emperor Rudolf II, are housed here. Among the collections nest paintings is Rubens richly coloured Assembly of the Gods at Olympus, an illusionist triple portrait of Rudolf, and his Habsburg predecessors, thats typical of the sort of tricksy work that appealed to the emperor. Elsewhere, theres an early, very beautiful Young Woman at Her Toilet by Titian, and Tintorettos Flagellation of

Royal Gardens (Krlovsk zahrada)AprilOct daily 10am6pm.

Founded by Emperor Ferdinand I in 1530, the Royal Gardens are among the capitals most pristinely kept verdant green spaces, with fully functioning fountains and immaculately cropped lawns. Its a very popular spot, though more a place for admiring the azaleas

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58and almond trees than lounging around on the grass. Set into the south terrace from which there are unrivalled views over to the cathedral is the Renaissance ball-game court (Mcovna), occasionally open to the public for concerts and exhibitions. The walls are tattooed with sgrafto and feature a hammer and sickle to the side of one of the sandstone half-columns, thoughtfully added by restorers in the 1950s. the musical sound the drops of water make when falling in the metal bowls below.

CafsCaf PoetZahrada na baste. The best of the rather undistinguished castle cafs, tucked away by the northwestern ramparts, with tables on the outside terrace.

Prague Castle P L A C ES

U kanovnku BelvedereTuesSun 10am6pm. Jirsk nmest 3536. If you can

Pragues most celebrated Renaissance building is a delicately arcaded summerhouse topped by an inverted copper ships hull, begun by Ferdinand I in 1538 for his wife, Anne (though she didnt live long enough to see it completed). The Belvederes exterior walls are decorated by a series of lovely gural reliefs depicting scenes from mythology, while the interior is used for exhibitions by contemporary artists. In the palaces miniature formal garden is the so-called Singing Fountain, named for

get a table, this caf has good views overlooking the woody Stag Ditch, and is a good warm spot for a winter coffee stop.

RestaurantsLv dvur (Lions Court)U prasnho mostu 6 T 224 372 361, W www.lvidvur.cz. Housed in what

used to be Rudolf IIs private zoo, with a terrace overlooking the Royal Gardens and the cathedral, this smart restaurant serves up roast hog and plenty of other Czech specialities with main dishes from 250Kc.

F I L I G R E E I R O N W O R K O N T H E B E LV E D E R E

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HradcanyThe monumental scale and appearance of Hradcany the district immediately outside Pragues castle is a direct result of the great re of 1541, which destroyed the small-scale medieval houses that once stood here and allowed the Habsburg nobility to transform Hradcany into the grand architectural showpiece it still is. Nowadays, despite the steady stream of tourists en route to the castle, its also one of the most peaceful parts of central Prague, barely disturbed by the civil servants who work in the areas numerous ministries and embassies. The three top sights to head for are the Sternberg Palace, with its modest collection of Old Masters, the Baroque pilgrimage church of Loreto and the ornate libraries of the Strahov monastery.

P L A C ES Hradcany

Hradcansk nmestHradcansk nmest fans out from the castle gates, surrounded by the oversized palaces of the old Catholic nobility. The one spot everyone heads for is the ramparts in the southeastern corner, which allow an unrivalled view over the red rooftops of Mal Strana, and beyond. Few people make use of the squares central green patch, which is

heralded by a wonderful giant green wrought-iron lamppost from the 1860s, and, behind it, a Baroque plague column. The most noteworthy palaces on the square are the Schwarzenberg Palace, at no. 2, with its overthe-top sgraffito decoration; the sumptuous, vanilla-coloured Rococo Archbishops Palace, opposite; and the Martinic Palace, at no. 8 in the far northwestern

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60corner of the square, whose sgraffito exterior features, among other scenes, Potiphahs wife trying to tempt young Joseph. The second oor contains one of the most prized paintings in the whole collection, the Feast of the Rosary by Albrecht Drer, one of Rudolf IIs most prized acquisitions, which he had transported on foot across the Alps to Prague. There are other outstanding works here, too: two richly coloured Bronzino portraits, a Rembrandt, a Canaletto of the Thames, a whole series by the Saxon master, Lucas Cranach including the striking, almost minimalist Portrait of an Old Man and a mesmerizing Praying Christ by El Greco.

Sternberg PalaceHradcansk nmest 15 T 233 090 570, W www.ngprague.cz. TuesSun 10am6pm. 60Kc. This elegant

early eighteenth-century palace is now used as an art gallery housing European Old Masters from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. Its a modest collection in comparison with those of other major European capitals, though the handful of masterpieces makes a visit here worthwhile, and theres an elegant caf in the courtyard. The highlights of the rst oor include Dieric Bouts Lamentation, a complex composition crowded with gures in medieval garb, the bizarre Well of Life, painted around 1500 by an unknown artist, and Jan Gossaerts eyecatching St Luke Drawing the Virgin, an exercise in architectural geometry and perspective. The section ends with a series of canvases by the Brueghel family; before you head upstairs though, dont miss the side rooms containing Orthodox icons from Venice, the Balkans and Russia.C E R N N PA L A C E

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Cernn PalaceLoretnsk nmest 5 W www .czechembassy.org. Loretnsk

nmest is dominated by the phenomenal 135-metre-long facade of the Cernn Palace (closed to the public), decorated with thirty Palladian halfcolumns and supported by a swathe of diamond-pointed rustication. Begun in the 1660s, the building nearly bankrupted future generations of Cernns, who were eventually forced to sell the palace to the Austrian state in 1851, which converted it into military barracks. Since 1918, the palace has housed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and during World War II it was, for a while, the Nazi Reichsprotektors residence. On March 10, 1948, it was the scene of Pragues third and most widely mourned defenestration. Only days after the Communist coup, Jan Masaryk, the only son of the founder of

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P L A C ES Hradcany

VIEW FROM STRAHOV MONASTERY

Czechoslovakia, and the last non-Communist in the cabinet, plunged to his death from the top-oor bathroom window of the palace. Whether it was suicide (he had been suffering from bouts of depression, partly induced by the countrys political path) or murder will probably never be satisfactorily resolved, but for most people Masaryks death cast a dark shadow over the newly established regime.

LoretoLoretnsk nmest 7 T 220 516 740, W www.loreta.cz. TuesSun 9am12.15pm & 14.30pm. 90Kc.

Land. Pride of place within is given to a limewood statue of the Black Madonna and Child, encased in silver. Behind the Santa Casa, the much larger Church of the Nativity has a high cherub count, plenty of Baroque gilding and a lovely organ replete with musicmaking angels and putti.You can get some idea of the Loretos serious nancial backing in the churchs treasury, whose master exhibit is a tasteless Viennese silver monstrance, studded with diamonds taken from the wedding dress of Countess Kolovrat, who made the Loreto sole heir to her fortune.

The outer casing of the Loreto church was built in the early part of the eighteenth century all hot ourishes and Baroque twirls, topped by a belltower that clanks out the hymn We Greet Thee a Thousand Times on its 27 Dutch bells. The focus of the pilgrimage complex is the Santa Casa (a mock-up of Marys home in Nazareth), built in 1626 and smothered in a rich mantle of stucco depicting the buildings miraculous transportation from the Holy

Strahov MonasteryStrahovsk nadvor 1 W www .strahovmonastery.cz. Libraries: daily 9amnoon & 15pm. 60Kc. Gallery: TuesSun 9amnoon & 12.305pm. 40Kc. Founded in 1140 by the

Premonstratensian order, the Baroque entrance to the Strahov Monastery is topped by a statue of its founder St Norbert, whose relics were brought here in 1627. The twelfthcentury monastery church was remodelled in Baroque times

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62attraction is set in the northeastern corner of the main courtyard. Displayed in this small museum are forty or so works by Anatoly Konyenko, a Russian who holds the record for constructing the smallest book in the world, a thirty-page edition of Chekhovs Chameleon. Among the other miracles of miniature manufacture are a (real, though dead) ea bearing golden horseshoes, scissors, and a key and lock; the Lords Prayer written on a human hair; and a caravan of camels passing through the eye of a needle.W R O U G H T- I R O N L A M P P O S T, H R A D C A N S K E N M E S T

Hradcany P L A C ES

and is well worth a peek for its colourful frescoes relating to St Norberts life. Its the monasterys two ornate Baroque libraries though, that are the real reason for visiting Strahov. The Philosophical Hall has walnut bookcases so tall they almost touch the frescoes on the librarys lofty ceiling, while the paintings on the low-ceilinged Theological Hall are framed by wedding-cake-style stuccowork. The monasterys collection of religious art, church plate and reliquaries is displayed in the Strahov Gallery above the cloisters, and contains one or two gems: a portrait of Emperor Rudolf II by his court painter, Hans von Aachen, plus a superb portrait of Rembrandts elderly mother by Gerrit Dou.

ShopsAntique Music InstrumentsPohorelec 9. More than just old violins, this place also sells icons,

Museum of MiniaturesStrahovsk nadvor 11 t 233 352 371. Daily 9am5pm. 40Kc. The

monasterys most unusual

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63Art Nouveau glass, clocks and model trains for a price, of course. ever, making it one of the few decent places to eat in Hradcany.

GambraCernnsk 5. MarchOct WedSun only; NovFeb Sat & Sun only.

U zlat hrusky (The Golden Pear)Novy svet 3 T 220 514 778, W www .zlatahruska.cz. Hidden away in

The commercial gallery of Pragues small but dogged Surrealist movement, past and present, also provides a window for the works of animator extraordinaire, Jan Svankmajer, and his wife, the artist Eva Svankmajerov, who live nearby.

the picturesque backstreets of Hradcany, this is a good, smart, traditional restaurant in which to while away an evening. The cuisine is solidly Czech, duck features heavily on the menu, and main dishes come in at just under 500Kc.

P L A C ES Hradcany

CafsArtcafLoretnsk nmest 23. Situated in

PubsU cernho vola (The Black Ox)Loretnsk nmest 1. Great, traditional Prague pub doing a brisk business providing the popular light beer Velkopopovick kozel in huge quantities to thirsty local workers, soaked up with a few classic pub snacks.ARCADES ON POHORELEC

the arcades south of Loretansk nmest serving excellent croissants, cakes, strudels, baguettes and sandwiches, and very good coffee.

Maly Buddhavoz 46. Closed Mon. Typical Prague teahouse decor, with a Buddhist altar in one corner and good vegetarian Vietnamese snacks on the menu. A very useful smoke-free Hradcany haven.

RestaurantsSatPohorelec 3 T 220 514 552. Simple,

inexpensive veggie and nonveggie noodle and sat dishes with a vaguely Indonesian bent for around 100Kc.

U sevce Matouse (The Cobbler Matous)Loretnsk nmest 4 T 220 514 536.

The in-house cobbler may have gone, but the house speciality of steak (or sh) and chips for under 200Kc is still as good as

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Mal StranaMal Strana P L A C ESMal Strana, Pragues picturesque Little Quarter, sits below the castle and is, in many ways, the citys most entrancing area. Its peaceful, often hilly, cobbled backstreets have changed very little since Mozart walked them during his frequent visits to Prague between 1787 and 1791. They conceal a whole hostR AD N

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65of quiet terraced gardens, as well as the wooded Petrn Hill, which together provide the perfect innercity escape in the summer months. The Church of sv Mikuls, by far the nest Baroque church in Prague, and the Museum Kampa, with its unrivalled collection of works by Frantisek Kupka, are the two major sights.

Malostransk nmestMalostransk nmest, Mal Stranas main square, is

dominated and divided in two by the Baroque church of sv Mikuls (see p.66). Trams and

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EATING & DRINKING Bakeshop Diner 12 Baranick rychta 5 Bar Bar 19 Bohemia Bagel 21 KA Cukrkvalimonda 14 RL &V Hergetov ciheln 15 M Jos BarOS 9 T( Kampa ParkCH 17 Nebozzek ARLE 18 SB Plffj palc R ID 4 GE Petfnsk terasy 16 ) Rybfskj klub 20 St Nicholas Caf 10 Square 7 U bl kukelky 13 U kocoura 6 U zavcgenjho kafe 1 U zlat studnc 2 U zelenho aaje 3 CLUBS & LIVE MUSIC U malho Glena 11 Malostransk beseda 8

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66since 1993, as home to the Chamber of Deputies, the (more important) lower house of the Czech parliament.

Church of sv MikulsMalostransk nmest. Daily 9am4pm. 50Kc.Towering

over the whole of Mal Strana is the Baroque church of sv Mikuls (St Nicholas), whose giant green dome and tower are among the most characteristic landmarks on Pragues left bank. Built by the Jesuits in the early eighteenth century, it TRAMS ON MALOSTRANSK NMEST was their most ambitious project yet in Bohemia, and cars wind their way across the the ultimate symbol of their cobbles below the church, regularly dodged by a procession stranglehold on the country. Nothing about the relatively of people some heading up plain west facade prepares you the hill to the castle, others pausing at one of the numerous for the overwhelming High Baroque interior. The vast fresco bars and restaurants hidden in in the nave portrays some of the squares arcades and Gothic the more fanciful miraculous vaults. On the squares north feats of St Nicholas. The dome side at no. 18, distinguished by at the east end of the church is its two little turrets and rather even more impressive, thanks, shocking pistachio and vanilla more than anything, to its sheer colour scheme, is the dum Smirickych, where, in 1618, the height. Leering over you as you gaze up at the dome are four Protestant posse met to decide terrifyingly oversized and stern how to get rid of Emperor Ferdinands Catholic councillors: Church Fathers, one of whom brandishes a gilded thunderbolt, whether to attack them with leaving no doubt as to the daggers, or, as they eventually gravity of the Jesuit message. attempted, to kill them by In the summer, its possible to chucking them out of the window (see p.54) of the Old Royal Palace. Snemovn, the side street which runs alongside the palaces western facade, takes its name from the Snemovna, the Neoclassical palace at no. 4, which served as the provincial Diet in the nineteenth century, the National Assembly of the First Republic in 1918, the Czech National Council after federalization in 1968, and, H O U S E S I G N O N N E R U D O VA

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6720Kc. The old pharmacy, U zlatho lva (The Golden Lion), dating from 1821, has been restored to its former glory and now houses a small and mildly diverting exhibition whose prize exhibits are its leech bottles and a large, dried fruit sh.

P L A C ES Mal Strana

climb the belfry (AprilOct daily 10am6pm), for ne views over Mal Strana and the Charles Bridge.

Valdstejn Palace NerudovaThe most important of the cobbled streets leading up to the castle is Nerudova. Historically, this was the citys main quarter for craftsmen, artisans and artists, though the shops and restaurants that line Nerudova now are mostly predictably and shamelessly aimed at tourists heading for the castle. Many of the houses that line the street retain their medieval barn doors and their own peculiar pictorial house signs. One of Nerudovas fancier buildings, at no. 5, is the Morzin Palace, now the Romanian Embassy, its doorway supported by two Moors (a pun on the owners name). Meanwhile, two giant eagles hold up the portal of the Thun-Hohenstejn Palace, now the Italian Embassy. Further up the street, according to legend, Casanova and Mozart are said to have met up at a ball given by the aristocrat owners of no. 33, the Bretfeld Palace.Valdstejnsk nmest 4. Built in

the 1620s for Albrecht von Waldstein, commander of the Imperial Catholic armies of the Thirty Years War, the Valdstejn Palace was one of the rst and largest Baroque palaces in the city. Nowadays, it houses, among other things, the Czech upper house, or Sent, which can be visited on a guided tour at weekends (Sat & Sun 10am 4pm; free).

Valdstejnsk zahrada (Palace gardens)AprilOct daily 10am6pm. Free.

The palaces formal gardens, the Valdstejnsk zahrada accessible from the palaces main entrance, and also from a doorway in the palace walls along Letensk are a good place to take a breather from the city streets. The gardens focus is

Dittrich PharmacyNerudova 32. AprilSept TuesFri noon6pm, Sat & Sun 11am6pm; OctMarch Sat 11am5pm, Sun 10am5pm.

PHARMACY SIGN

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68a gigantic Italianate sala terrena, a monumental loggia decorated with frescoes of the Trojan Wars, which stands at the end of an avenue of sculptures. In addition, there are a number of peacocks, a pseudo grotto along the south wall, with quasi-stalactites and a small aviary. influential teachings of Jan Amos Komensky (15921670) better known as John Comenius whose educational methods were revolutionary for their time.

Terraced gardensValdstejnska. AprilOct daily 10am 6pm. 60Kc. One of the chief

Mal Strana P L A C ES

Valdstejnsk jzdrnaValdstejnsk 1 t 257 073 136. Tues Sun 10am6pm. 100Kc.

The palaces former riding school has been converted into a gallery, which puts on temporary exhibitions of fine art and photography organized by the National Gallery. It is accessible from the courtyard of nearby Malostransk metro station.

joys of Mal Strana is its series of Baroque terraced gardens, on the slopes below the castle where the royal vineyards used to be. Dotted with urns and statuary, they command superb views over Prague. From Valdstejnsk, you enter via the Ledebursk zahrada, gardens which eventually connect higher up with the castles own South Gardens (see p.56).

Pedagogical MuseumW www.pmjak.cz. TuesSat 10am

Vojanovy sadyU luzickho seminre. Daily: AprilSept 8am7pm; OctMarch 8am5pm. Free.

12.30pm & 14.30pm.10Kc.

The former palace stables contain the Pedagogical Museum, a small and oldfashioned exhibition on Czech education and, in particular, the

Securely concealed behind a ring of high walls, the Vojanovy sady began life as a monastic garden belonging to the Carmelites. Its now an informal

VIEW OVER MAL STRANA FROM THE TERRACED GARDENS

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P L A C ES Mal Strana

M O R Z I N PA L A C E , N E R U D O VA

public park, full of sleeping babies, weeping willows, and lots of grass on which to lounge about; the gardens also host the occasional outdoor art exhibition and concerts.

Maltzsk nmestMaltzsk nmest is one of a number of delightful little squares between Karmelitsk and the river. At its centre is a plague column, topped by a statue of St John the Baptist, but the square takes its name from the Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (better known by their later title, the Maltese Knights), who in 1160 founded the nearby church of Panna Maria pod retezem (St Mary below-the-chain), so called because it was the Knights job to guard the Judith Bridge (predecessor to the Charles Bridge). Only two bulky Gothic towers are still standing and the apse is now thoroughly Baroque, but the nave remains unnished and open to the elements.

the pretty little square of Velkoprevorsk nmest, which echoes to the sound of music from the nearby Prague conservatoire. Following the violent death of John Lennon in 1980, Pragues youth established an ad hoc shrine smothered in grafti tributes to the exBeatle along the Grand Priorys garden wall. The running battle between police and grafti artists continued well into the 1990s, with the society of Maltese Knights taking an equally dim view of the mural, but a compromise has now been reached and the walls scribblings legalized.

KampaHeading for Kampa, the largest of the Vltavas islands, with its cafs, old mills and serene riverside park, is the perfect way to escape the crowds. The island is separated from the left bank by Pragues Little Venice, a thin strip of water called Certovka (Devils Stream), which used to power several mill-wheels until the last one ceased to

John Lennon WallThe Grand Priory of the Maltese Knights backs onto

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70range from early Expressionist watercolours to transitional pastels like Fauvist Chair from 1910, and more abstract works, such as the seminal oil painting, Cathedral and Study for Fugue in Two Colours, from around 1912. The gallery also displays a good selection of Cubist and later interwar works by the sculptor Otto Gutfreund and a few collages by postwar surrealist Jir Kolr.

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W AT E R W H E E L , C E R T O V K A

function in 1936. For much of its history, the island was the citys main wash-house area, a fact commemorated by the church of sv Jan Krtitel Na Prdle (St John-the-Baptist at the Cleaners) on Rcn. It wasnt until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that the Nostitz family, who owned Kampa, began to develop the northern half of the island; the southern half was left untouched, and today is laid out as a public park, with riverside views across to Star Mesto. To the north, the oval main square, Na Kampe, once a pottery market, is studded with slender acacia trees and cut through by the Charles Bridge, to which it is connected by a double ight of steps.

Vrtbovsk zahradaKarmelitsk 25 W www.vrtbovska .cz. AprilOct daily 10am6pm. 20Kc.

One of the most elusive of Mal Stranas many Baroque gardens, the Vrtbovsk zahrada was founded on the site of the former vineyards of the Vrtbov Palace. Laid out on Tuscan-style terraces, dotted with ornamental urns and statues of the gods by Matthias Bernhard Braun, the gardens twist their way up the lower slopes of Petrn Hill to an observation terrace, from where theres a spectacular rooftop perspective on the city.

Museum KampaU Sovovych mlynu 2 T 257 286 141, W www.museumkampa.cz. Daily 10am6pm. 120Kc. Housed

Church of Panna Maria VteznKarmelitsk 9 W www .karmel.at/prag-jesu. MonSat 9.30am5.30pm, Sun 15pm. Free. Surprisingly given its rather plain exterior, the church of Panna Maria Vtezn houses a high-kitsch wax efgy of the infant Jesus as a precocious three-year-old, enthroned in a glass case illuminated with strip-lights. Attributed with miraculous powers, the

in an old riverside watermill, the museum is dedicated to the private art collection of Jan and Meda Mldek. As well as temporary exhibitions, this stylish modern gallery also exhibits the best of the Mldeks collection, including a whole series of works by the Czech artist Frantisek Kupka, seen by many as the father of abstract art. These

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71Bambino di Praga (or Prazsk Jezultko), became an object of international pilgrimage and continues to attract visitors, as the multilingual prayer cards attest. He boasts a vast personal wardrobe of expensive swaddling clothes approaching a hundred separate outts at the last count regularly changed by the Carmelite nuns. If youre keen to see some of these outts, theres a small museum, up the spiral staircase in the south aisle, which contains his lacy camisoles, as well as a selection of his velvet and satin overgarments sent from all over the world. Tower, make up the largest green space in the city centre. The tower is just one of several exhibits which survive from the 1891 Prague Exhibition, whose modest legacy also includes the hills funicular railway (see below). At the top of the hill, its possible to trace the southernmost perimeter wall of the old city, popularly known as the Hladov ze (Hunger Wall). Instigated in the 1460s by Emperor Charles IV, it was much lauded at the time as a great public work which provided employment for the burgeoning ranks of the citys destitute (hence its name); in fact, much of the walls construction was paid for by the expropriation of Jewish property.

P L A C ES Mal Strana

PetrnThe hilly wooded slopes of Petrn, distinguished by a scaleddown version of the Eiffel

Stefnikova hvezdrnaPetrn 205 T257 320 540, W www.observatory .cz. Times vary. 20Kc.

The Hunger Wall runs southeast to Petrns observatory, the Stefnikova hvezdrna, run by star-gazing enthusiasts. The small astronomical exhibition inside is hardly worth bothering with, but if its a clear night, a quick peek through either of the observatorys two powerful telescopes is a treat.

Funicular railwayThe funicular railway (lanov drha) for Petrn sets off from a station just off jezd and runs every 1015min (daily 9.15am8.45pm); public transport tickets and travel passes are valid.

F U N I C U L A R R A I LW AY U P P E T R N

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72The Nebozzek stop halfway up gives access to Nebozzek restaurant and Petrnsk terasy pub (see p.74); the top station is closest to the Mirror Maze and look-out tower. Maze is housed in a mini neoGothic castle complete with mock drawbridge. As well as a mirror maze, there is an actionpacked, life-sized diorama of the victory of Pragues students and Jews over the Swedes on the Charles Bridge in 1648. The humour of the convex and concave mirrors that lie beyond the diorama is so simple, it has both adults and kids giggling away.

Rozhledna Mal Strana P L A C ESDaily: AprilOct 10am7pm; Nov March 10am5pm. Free. Petrns

most familiar landmark is the diminutive look-out tower or Rozhledna, an octagonal interpretation though a mere fth of the size of the Eiffel Tower which shocked Paris in 1889, and a tribute to the citys strong cultural and political links with Paris at the time; the view from the public gallery is terric in ne weather.

ShopsCandle Galleryjezd 31 Wwww.candle-gallery .com. Popular candlemakers

Mirror Maze (Bludiste)Daily: AprilOct 10am7pm; Nov March 10am5pm. Free. The Mirror

selling every conceivable style and size of candle you can imagine, from antique and meditative to Mexican and Art Nouveau.

Galerie MXMNosticova 6. Closed Mon. Pragues

pioneering and highly inuential commercial art gallery puts on consistently good shows by contemporary Czech artists in its one, small vaulted room.

Myrnyx TyrnyxSask (off Lzensk ) Wwww.myrnyxtyrnyx .cz. Tiny shop

selling very funky, Czech designer gear and secondhand retro clothes and accessories, everything from hot pants to homburg hats.GERMAN EMBASSY

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CafsBakeshop DinerLzensk 16 Wwww.bakeshoppraha .cz. Stylish modern diner decked

and delicious savoury and sweet crpes (palacinky) on offer.

Hergetov CihelnCiheln 2b T 257 535 534, Wwww .cihelna.com. Slick, smart

out in light wood and political/ avant-garde posters. Breakfasts, sandwiches, melts and salads for around 200Kc.

Bohemia Bageljezd 16 Wwww.bohemiabagel.cz.

restaurant, run by the Kampa Park family, specializing in tasty pizzas cooked in a woodred oven for around 250Kc. The riverside summer terrace overlooks Charles Bridge.

P L A C ES Mal Strana

Self-service caf popular with expats, serving lled bagels, allday breakfasts, soup and chilli, with an Internet caf attached.

Kampa ParkNa Kampe 8b T 257 532 685, Wwww .kampapark.com. Pink building

CukrkvalimondaLzensk 7. Very professional and

well-run caf, serving good brasserie-style dishes, as well as coffee and croissants, with tables overlooking the church of Panna Maria pod retezem.

exquisitely located right by the Vltava on Kampa Island with a superb sh and seafood menu, top-class service and tables outside in summer. 500Kc or more for a main course.

Nebozzek (Little Auger)Petrnsk sady 411 T 257 515 329, Wwww.nebozizek.cz. Situated at

U zavesenyho kafe (The Hanging Coffee)voz 6. The hanging coffee

in question is one that has been paid for by the haves for the have-nots who drop in. That aside, this place is a pleasant, smoky cross-over caf/ pub, serving cheap beer and traditional Czech food.

the halfway stop on the Petrn funicular. The view is superb, theres an oudoor terrace and a traditional Czech menu heavy with game dishes for 300400 Kc.

Plffy palcValdstejnsk 14 T 257 530 522, Wwww.palffy.cz. Grand candle-lit

U zelenho caje (The Green Tea)Nerudova 19. Great little smoke-

free stop-off for a pot of tea or a veggie snack en route to or from Prague Castle; the only problem is getting a place at one of the four tables.

room on the rst oor of the conservatoire, and a wonderful outdoor terrace from which you can survey the red rooftops of Mal Strana; the international menu, with main courses for 500Kc and upwards, doesnt quite live up to the setting though.

RestaurantsBar BarVsehrdova 17 T 257 312 246.

Rybrsky klubU sovovych mlynu 1 T257 534 200.

Arty, but unpretentious cellar crperie with big cheap salads,

Freshwater sh carp, catsh, eel, pike and others simply prepared for under 250Kc, at this unpretentious riverside

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74restaurant, situated in the park on Kampa Island. barbecues make this place very popular. To reach it, get off at the Nebozzek stop on the Petrn funicular, but walk in the opposite direction from the Nebozzek restaurant.

SquareMalostransk nmest 5 T257 532 109, Wwww.squarerestaurant.cz.

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This once famous turn-ofthe-century caf has changed beyond all recognition its now a very smart and white bar and restaurant, which serves an imaginative and well-executed international menu: pasta dishes and salads for 200300Kc, main courses for 400500Kc.

St Nicholas CafTrziste 10. Vaulted cellar caf/bar that pulls in well-dressed Czechs and the diplomatic crowd in some numbers.

U bl kuzelky (The White Bowling Pin)Msensk 12. Not a bad pub considering its touristy location right by the Charles Bridge; reasonably priced Pilsner Urquell, Czech pub food and the occasional accordionist.

U zlat studne (Golden Well)U zlat studne 4 T257 533 322, Wwww.zlatastudna.cz. Former

home of astronomer Tycho Brahe, accessible from the castle gardens and with the most fantastic views from the summer terrace, this hotel restaurant serves up classic Czech cuisine with all the frills main dishes go for around 500Kc.

U kocoura (The Cat)Nerudova 2. One of the few

traditional pubs left on a street once replete with them. Some of the best Budvar in town, plus the obvious Czech stomachllers.

Pubs and barsBarcnick rychtaNa trziste 23. A real survivor

Clubs and live musicMalostransk besedaMalostransk nmest 21.

a small backstreet Czech pub squeezed in between the embassies, with a cheap and lling menu.

Jos BarMalostransk nmest 7. The original expat/backpacker hangout. Bottled beer only, Tex-Mex food served all day, and a heaving crowd guaranteed most evenings. Downstairs is the club Jos Garz.

Ramshackle, inexpensive live music venue that attracts lots of Czechs, despite its location. The programme is a mixture of rock, roots and jazz. Gigs start at 8.30pm.

U malho Glena (Little Glenns)Karmelitsk 23 Wwww.malyglen.cz.

Petrnsk terasySeminrsk zahrada 13. Superb

views over Prague, beer and

Smart-looking pub/jazz bar that attracts a fair mixture of Czechs and expats thanks to its betterthan-average food and live music downstairs.

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Star MestoStar Mesto literally the Old Town is Pragues most central, vital ingredient. The capitals busiest markets, shops, restaurants and pubs are in this area, and during the day a gaggle of shoppers and tourists lls its complex and utterly confusing web of narrow byways. Yet despite all the commercial activity, there are still plenty of residential streets, giving the area a livedin feel that is rarely found in European city centres. At the heart of the district is the Old Town Square (Staromestsk nmest), Pragues showpiece main square, easily the most magnicent in central Europe, and a great place to get your bearings before heading off into the labyrinthine backstreets.

P L A C ES Star Mesto

Charles Bridge (Karluv most)Bristling with statuary and crowded with people, the Charles Bridge is by far the citys most famous monument. Built in the fourteenth century by Charles IV, the bridge originally featured just a simple crucix. The rst sculpture wasnt added until 1683, when St John of Nepomuk appeared. His statue was such a propaganda success that the Catholic church authorities

ordered another 21 to be erected between 1706 and 1714. Individually, only a few of the works are outstanding, but taken collectively, set against the backdrop of the Hrad, the effect is breathtaking. The bridge is now one of the most popular places to hang out, day and night: the crush of sightseers never abates during the day, when the niches created by the bridge-piers are occupied by souvenir-hawkers and buskers, but at night things

BUSKERS ON CHARLES BRIDGE

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EATING & DRINKING Ariana 4 Au Gourmand 8 Bakeshop Praha 6 Bellevue 26 Blatniaka 24 Country Life 18 Dahab 1 Dobr aajovna 27 Don Giovanni 25 Ebel 12 Kogo 14 & 17 Koziaka 5 Marquis de Sade 13 Mljnec 21 Molly Malones 2 Montmartre 19 Od soumraku do svitu 9 Orange Moon 3 Pravda 7 Red, Hot & Blues 10 Ryb trh M N E 11 Sushi Sandwich S & V M O S28 T U medvdki 29 U modr kachniaky II 22 U Zlatho tygra 16 CLUBS & LIVE MUSIC Jazz Club Kelezn Karlovy lznc U star pan 15 20 23

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